


Once Upon a Time

by mardemaravilla



Series: Footballers in Fairy Tales [1]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Genderswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-07
Updated: 2013-01-07
Packaged: 2017-11-24 03:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/629597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mardemaravilla/pseuds/mardemaravilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Transformed into a child's toy, a young prince awaits the kiss that will set him free.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once Upon a Time

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt](http://footballkink2.livejournal.com/9132.html?thread=3291052#t3291052)

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, there lived a handsome prince named Juan. Now all princes are handsome, no doubt, but this prince was the most handsome in all of the seven kingdoms and many wanted to marry him.

On the prince's 18th birthday, his father opened the halls of his castle to all the land with the hope of finding the perfect marriage partner for Prince Juan. Thousands of suitors came from every corner with the hope of being chosen for Prince Juan, but all who came to the castle were sent away. The young prince showed no interest in anyone who came in pursuit of his hand.

"I don't like any of them, Father. They are all fair, but that is not enough. I don't want to marry anyone here."

The king frowned, "Son, this is your duty to the kingdom and its people. You must marry on your 18th birthday. Come, there is one more person who wishes to marry you. Let us see if they are worthy."

The girl was beautiful, with dark hair and fair eyes and skin as pure as snow. She spoke in a soft voice and professed her love for Prince Juan, but still the young man was unmoved.

"She is pretty, but there is nothing else about her that wins my heart, Father. Send her away like all the others."

The disappointed king raised his hand to dismiss the fair maiden, when in a sudden puff of foul smoke, the beautiful girl was transformed into a haggard old witch!

"You, young Prince Juan," she croaked hoarsely, "You seek more than outer beauty, and that is a noble thing, but for sending me away, I shall curse you! You shall become naught but a ragged child's toy. The curse shall only be broken when one who can see past your own outer looks bestows you with a kiss!" She cackled shrilly and vanished from the hall.

The king was distraught, "My son! What have you done! The maiden was beautiful and would have made a fine bride! Now you are doomed to become a child's toy forever!"

Juan sighed, "We must try our best now to ensure that the curse is broken."

The prince went to bed that evening, but when his servants came to rouse him in the morning, there lay a small stuffed bear in his place. The bear was made of the softest brown fur and its eyes were two small sapphires, but it was tattered and dirty looking and no matter how the servants tried, they could neither clean it, nor restore its appearance. 

" _It's me!_ " Cried the prince, but as toys cannot talk, no-one could hear him. " _I'm here! It's me!_ "

The prince's mother wept and the king despaired. Many years passed and still, no-one knew what to do. The king placed the teddy bear on a gold pedestal and covered it with a glass bell jar. The king offered many riches to anyone who could return the prince to his true form, but those who came only wrinkled their noses at the sight of the worn bear. Teddy-Prince Juan waited and waited, but no matter who came, no matter who tried to kiss his soft fur, no one did so with a pure heart. They all had the king’s riches in mind as they pressed their lips to the fur, so the poor prince remained trapped in teddy bear form. Soon the king lost hope and moved the bear-prince to a small chamber out of sight. After some time, it seemed as though everyone had forgotten about him there in the chamber, and Teddy-Prince Juan grew very lonely. If teddy bears could cry, he certainly would have, but instead, he sat in the quiet dark and wished with all his might for the curse to be broken.

One day, a king from a far away land came to the palace in search of rest and shelter. This king brought with him his wife and their youngest child, a princess named Fernando. Fernando was blond and beautiful and both kings lamented that there was no son for her to marry. A large welcome feast was thrown and there was much music and dancing and the travelling royals were well received. The princess soon grew weary of the noise and wandered through the quiet corridors of the castle. She peeked into different rooms; in the first, she saw a spinning wheel, in the next she saw gems and jewels beyond count, and in the third, she found the little bear encased in its glass jar.

" _Who is this?_ " Teddy-Prince Juan wondered. By now his glass jar was very dusty on the outside and he could hardly see through the dirt. He recognised the shape of someone approaching him, and although he could not see clearly, he knew it was neither his mother nor father.

Princess Fernando admired the teddy. It was dirty and its ear was torn, but it was a sweet little thing. It made her think of days at her own palace, when she would lie in bed as it rained, listening to her tutors tell her stories of magic and happiness. She smiled and ran her fingers along the glass, wiping away a fine layer of dust. With the dust removed, the light filtered into the bell jar and made the bear's tiny sapphire eyes sparkle. The princess was amazed.

"Why should such a ragged thing be placed on a pedestal of gold and have beautiful gems as eyes? This must be a very special bear indeed!"

Teddy-Prince Juan stared through the small space wiped clear of dust. It was a princess standing there! She was the most beautiful princess Juan had ever seen; slender and fair, with tiny freckles all over her face. She had silky blond hair and soft brown eyes and Juan hoped with all his heart that she would set him free.

Princess Fernando carefully lifted the glass jar and reached out to hold the teddy bear.

"Your fur is so soft!" She exclaimed. "How very much I would love to hold you close every night, little bear! You may not be as beautiful as some of my other possessions, but there is something about you that I do adore!"

Oh how long it had been since Teddy-Prince Juan had been held by another! This princess was so delicate with him. She held him gently, cradling him with the fine bones of her wrist and rubbing gently at his torn ear.

Juan's little teddy heart beat wildly. " _Kiss me,_ " he thought. " _Kiss me and I will be yours, always._ ”

The fair princess closed her eyes and bent her head to give the little bear a kiss and she was most surprised to find the bear kissing back! When she opened her eyes, there in her arms was the most handsome prince she had ever seen. He had soft brown hair and eyes that shone like sapphires, and he was richly dressed in blue and gold.

"You kissed me," he said. "I was put under a curse on my 18th birthday and only a kiss from one who loved me for my inner beauty could break the spell."

The princess blushed and curtseyed humbly, but the prince only laughed.

"I shall marry you, my princess, for you love my heart and I love yours."

He kissed the princess tenderly and led her out to the feast. How the hall rejoiced to see the prince once more! His parents greeted him with many kisses and he said to them,

“This is the princess that I wish to wed.”

Princess Fernando’s parents rejoiced and Prince Juan’s parents happily agreed. The young couple were married on a bright spring day and they lived happily ever after.

 

**The End.**


End file.
